Chapter 260: Mr. Chen, Please
The smoke had not yet dispersed when Hong Feng was the first to rush in.
The carriage was piled full of wooden boxes of uniform size, sealed with Kwantung Army’s “special supply” seals.
He swung the crowbar and pried open a box lid forcefully!
In the dim light, the inside contained neatly stacked medicinal injections; another box opened to reveal it was packed full of high-grade sulfanilamide powder!
Medicine, the medicine comrades needed most right now, was right there in front of them.
Hong Feng didn’t have time to count the exact numbers, but seeing the mountain-like supplies, he knew this haul far exceeded expectations.
“Found it! This is it! Quick! Move them down!” Hong Feng’s voice was somewhat hoarse from excitement.
The team members moved like ants carrying food, quickly passing the heavy boxes one by one through the blasted-open train door; the receiving team members below hoisted the boxes and swiftly disappeared into the dense sorghum field.
The battle was still ongoing, but the Japanese Army escort troops were limited in number after all, the main reason being the railway transportation was operating under overload, and the Transportation Department didn’t have that many soldiers available.
Of course, it also depended on the person; if Minister Chen wanted men, there would be some, but sorry, Minister Yoshida, you have to file a report and apply…
You are a senior transportation officer of the South Manchuria Railway, but we are not…
Another reason was that this plunder of material supplies was of great importance, so the organization had emptied almost all its resources to the guerrilla team, which also greatly increased their firepower.
The escort squad in charge was suppressed by the Flying Tigers’ powerful firepower inside a few carriages, unable to effectively organize a counterattack.
The entire robbery process was so efficient it was jaw-dropping; from forcing the train to stop to the hundreds-strong team removing the main target supplies, it took just over forty minutes from start to finish.
“Old Liu! That’s enough! Withdraw!” Hong Feng saw that the predetermined number of boxes had been transported away and shouted loudly toward Liu Yiqiang.
Liu Yiqiang understood and ordered: “Firepower cover! Alternate withdrawal!”
The Flying Tigers’ machine guns fired a final barrage, and the grenade throwers tossed the remaining grenades toward the carriages occupied by the Japanese Army, creating even greater chaos.
The team members seized this precious opportunity, carrying the spoils of war, supporting lightly wounded comrades, and quickly vanishing into the sea of green gauze curtain, dispersing toward multiple preset evacuation points.
When the first ray of dawn painfully pierced the clouds and illuminated Hejia Ridge, the scene was left with only the paralyzed train, lingering gun smoke, sporadic dying groans, numerous pried-open empty boxes, and valuable material carriages that had been completely looted.
When the Japanese Army reinforcements arrived, besides collecting bodies and facing incalculable material losses, they couldn’t even ascertain the attackers’ specific whereabouts.
Early morning, Shanghai Southern Transportation Department, “Wartime Special Transportation Coordination Headquarters” core dispatch center.
On the huge railway network map, the indicator light representing the operating status of the K-739 special train turned into a constantly flashing red in the “Hejia Ridge” area, with a brief telegram code marked beside it: “Attacked, major losses.”
This patch of red stood out especially stark and menacing amid the yellow and red indicator lights showing transportation strain.
The entire dispatch center was already like a pressure cooker, filled with telephone rings, telegram machine clicks, and dispatchers’ hoarse shouts.
When this urgent telegram from the Shandong Province garrison was decoded and tremblingly delivered to the main dispatch desk by a pale-faced communications officer, the entire lobby seemed instantly drained of air, falling into a deathly silence.
Everyone stopped their work, looking incredulously toward the main dispatch desk.
Colonel Yoshida Hirohiro, Deputy Minister of Southern Transportation Department in charge of all material dispatching, was propping up his nearly exploding head, coordinating a detour for a munitions special train stalled due to congestion ahead.
When he took the thin yet weighty telegram paper, his hand began trembling uncontrollably.
“…K-739… Jinpu Line southern Shandong Hejia Ridge section… ambushed by armed militants…”
“Current survey confirms most of the escort squad perished… valuable material carriages looted clean… losses… losses under verification, preliminary estimate…”
Yoshida Hirohiro murmured the words on the telegram, each one like a red-hot dagger stabbing fiercely into his heart.
His face turned from weary pallor to ashen gray in an instant, lips quivering, unable to read further.
K-739! That train loaded with military supplies gathered by the South Manchuria Railway, the supply special train for the 7th and 9th Divisions holding in the interior,
But now, this special train carrying massive supplies that should have been absolutely confidential! Was robbed in his dispatch jurisdiction, on the Jinpu Line under Empire control! And “looted clean”!
Click-clack, rapid leather boot steps sounded behind him, and a calm yet icily penetrating voice broke the dead silence: “Deputy Minister Yoshida.”
Yoshida Hirohiro whipped around to see Chen Yang standing behind him unnoticed.
Chen Yang didn’t raise his voice, but every word was clearly audible in the unusually quiet dispatch lobby: “If I remember correctly, the operating route and schedule of the K-739 special train were finally reviewed and approved by the South Manchuria Railway side, that is, by you, Deputy Minister Yoshida.”
“You also guaranteed to the Kwantung Army Headquarters that its security level and confidentiality measures were ‘foolproof.’ So, how do you explain this ‘looted clean’ now?”
What he held was a copy of the telegram from Shandong Province, his tone devoid of anger, only a cold, businesslike indifference.
“This… the route was top secret! Security forces were sufficient!” Yoshida Hirohiro defended shrilly like a cat whose tail was stepped on. “It must be… there must be an internal spy! Or premeditated…”
“Internal spy? Premeditated?” Chen Yang stepped forward, closing in on Yoshida, voice still steady. “Whether internal spy or premeditated, it happened within the transportation system under your leadership, Deputy Minister Yoshida!”
“The Nomonhan front is already full of complaints against us South Manchuria Railway due to transport capacity allocation issues! Now, one of the most important special trains in the rear, under your ‘professional’ dispatching, was successfully robbed by armed militants in the Imperial Army’s core controlled area!”
“If this gets to the Kwantung Army Headquarters, to Tokyo General Headquarters, have you considered the consequences? The South Manchuria Railway’s reputation will be ruined! The Empire’s trust in the South Manchuria Railway will vanish!”
“Of course, the South Manchuria Railway’s reputation is worthless in front of the Imperial Army.”
“But have you studied the location where this special train had its accident? This is the efficient transportation line you painstakingly designed.”
“But now it’s destroyed. Do you know what that means?”
“Clear the special train, reconnect the railway, replan the transportation line—this will take at least two days.”
“Minister Yoshida, with two days’ time, can you squeeze out two more days for your transportation line?”
“I can tell you with certainty, you’ve lost this round!”
“Pfft, urgh…” Chen Yang’s words, like a final judgment, completely shattered Yoshida Hirohiro’s nerves, already stretched to the limit from days of overload work.
He only felt a surge of salty sweetness rush up his throat, vision going black, unable to hold back any longer—a mouthful of blood spurted out, splattering shockingly onto the control desk covered in route maps.
“Minister Yoshida!”
“Quick! Doctor!”
The dispatch center erupted into chaos! Several nearby staff rushed forward in alarm, supporting the tottering, gold-paper-faced Yoshida Hirohiro.
The entire dispatch center fell into brief chaos due to the chief’s sudden collapse: phones unanswered, orders interrupted, various alarms sounding one after another, the situation on the verge of total loss of control!
“What panic!”
A stern command rang out like thunder, shocking the chaotic scene still.
Logistics Department Minister Major General Sato Buntai had arrived at the dispatch center unnoticed.
His face ashen, he glanced at Yoshida propped in a chair nearby, barely breathing, scanned the messy control desk and panicked staff, and finally fixed his gaze on the only calm one, Chen Yang.
“Chen Yang! Deputy Minister Yoshida has sudden acute illness, unable to perform duties! I now order you to immediately take over from Deputy Minister Yoshida, fully responsible for coordinating all transportation dispatch affairs of this headquarters! Restore command at once! Stabilize the situation! If there’s any further oversight, you’ll answer to me!”
“Hai! Subordinate understands!” Chen Yang made no refusal, immediately standing at attention and bowing, voice steady and forceful.
He swiftly turned, facing the chaotic dispatch lobby, eyes instantly sharp and authoritative: “Communications group! Immediately send telegrams to Kwantung Army Headquarters and Beiping side, report preliminary K-739 incident details, emphasize I’m personally handling it to steady military morale!”
“Dispatch Group One! Prioritize restoring northbound main line passage; blocked military trains regroup per my upcoming emergency sequence!”
“Dispatch Group Two! Immediately check all en-route similar special trains, assess risks, adjust routes or strengthen escorts if necessary!”
“Technical Group! Check all communication lines, ensure instructions flow smoothly!”
His orders were clear and decisive, instantly bringing the nearly out-of-control scene back under control.
And just as everyone prepared to act on Chen Yang’s orders, a voice suddenly rang out.
“Stop.”
“Your Excellency Sato, transportation dominance is under South Manchuria Railway control; you have no authority to appoint Deputy Minister Chen to take over Yoshida-kun’s work.”
Sato Buntai’s gaze sharpened slightly; the speaker was South Manchuria Railway senior investigator and Shanghai South Branch Director Nakamura Isao…
Chen Yang said slowly: “Mr. Nakamura, this is not the time to question that. I’m very saddened by Colonel Yoshida’s incident, but transportation matters brook no delay. Are we really to stop, wait for the special train and railway to be repaired before acting? Your authority doesn’t seem that great, does it?”
Nakamura Isao’s expression unchanged, tone somewhat firm: “Forgive my bluntness, though Minister Chen is exceptionally capable, he has not previously delved deeply into the core operations of South Manchuria Railway’s transportation system.”
“The current lines’ complexity, transport capacity’s tightness, and sharp conflicts among parties are beyond ordinary means to manage.”
“Even Deputy Minister Yoshida, pouring his heart out, could barely hold on; Minister Chen taking over hastily may not only fail to salvage the crisis but could breed even greater chaos due to unfamiliarity.”
“For the stability of the Empire’s transportation lifeline, I believe this matter requires deliberation; it should be a more senior expert elected internally by our South Manchuria Railway to share the responsibility.”
“Mr. Nakamura’s concerns are not unfounded. Indeed, following established procedures and precedents may be the safest method. However…”
Chen Yang abruptly changed tack: “Mr. Nakamura, can following established procedures solve the daily ten-thousand-ton consumption at the Nomonhan front? Can it fill the ever-widening supply gap due to line congestion? Can it handle ‘accidents’ like K-739 on an ‘absolutely safe’ line?”
“I long ago reminded Yoshida-kun that his transportation plan must be reformed, as his transport capacity has reached its limit.”
“The current transportation lines are like a clogged blood vessel; no matter how we clear internally, the flow has hit the limit!”
“Deputy Minister Yoshida’s prior efforts are respectable, but he was merely trying to unclog an already saturated pipe!”
“You, you’re truly arrogant!” Nakamura Isao’s brows tightened: “Are you saying the transportation plan designed by our South Manchuria Railway is utterly useless?”
“Not useless, it’s complete shit.” Chen Yang showed no mercy, berating: “South Manchuria Railway has zero innovative concepts, still using the same old thinking.”
“Mr. Nakamura, we need to move forward, not live off past achievements.”
“Fine, fine.” Nakamura Isao laughed in fury: “Then I’ll give you, Minister Chen, one day to see how you clear the transportation lines, how you magically transport the supplies piled in Shanghai to the north.”
“One day? No need for that long. What South Manchuria Railway can’t do doesn’t mean Southern Transportation Department can’t.”
“Within six hours, I’ll get the supplies piled in Shanghai material warehouse onto vehicles heading north!”
Nakamura Isao frowned: “Minister Chen, do you plan to dispatch heavy transport aircraft? That cost is much higher than railway transport.”
“Heavy transport aircraft? No need to be that wasteful.” Chen Yang said slowly: “Doesn’t Mr. Nakamura know that our Great Japanese Empire has a Navy besides the Army!”
Nakamura Isao started; right, transportation includes not just Army railways but also navy transport ships.
It’s just that the Navy and Army have always been at odds; no matter South Manchuria Railway’s power, it couldn’t command navy transport teams.
Not only Yoshida couldn’t, Nakamura Isao couldn’t; not just them, even South Manchuria Railway President Omura Takuichi couldn’t…
But Chen Yang could…
Click, click, neat footsteps approached; another Transportation Department navy transport deputy minister, Lieutenant Colonel Saito Koichi, appeared in the dispatch room.
“Minister Chen, the materials from Mai Gen Road Warehouse have been delivered to Huishan Wharf. I’ve conveyed your request to the Naval Marine Headquarters; after careful consideration, Chief of Staff Hirata agreed to help execute your transportation plan.”
“These materials will arrive at Lüshun Port on the ninth; please don’t forget to receive them.”
“Thanks for the hard work, Saito-kun.”
Chen Yang glanced sideways at Nakamura Isao: “Mr. Nakamura, do you have any issues now?”
“This, I…” Nakamura Isao suddenly had no excuse to challenge.
“Nothing to say? Then it’s my turn!” Chen Yang turned, standing at the main dispatch desk, gaze sweeping over the dark red bloodstain of Yoshida Hirohiro still wet on the control desk, then to the red signal on the huge map marking the K-739 robbery site.
“Pass my order: General Affairs Department immediately send people to repair the accident section, ensure transportation resumes ASAP.”
“All other departments act per my earlier orders…”
Nakamura Isao’s face paled slightly; watching the busy dispatch center, he sighed and prepared to leave.
At that moment, Chen Yang suddenly called him: “Mr. Nakamura, trouble you to send a telegram to South Manchuria Railway Headquarters, tell President Omura that these matters were all caused by Yoshida.”
“So, for the upcoming navy transport losses and robbed materials losses, hope South Manchuria Railway provides a reasonable compensation amount.”
“As for the money for me cleaning up South Manchuria Railway’s mess, I like doing good deeds, so this time I won’t charge you…”
